


and now we welcome the new year

by Rinniebee



Series: The seasons are four perfect movements in harmony [4]
Category: Gilmore Girls
Genre: F/M, Family, Friendship, Hayden Gilmore-Mariano, Humor, New Year's Eve, New Years, Ricci Gilmore - Freeform, Sexual Humor, Vivi Gilmore-Mariano
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-12-29
Updated: 2016-12-29
Packaged: 2018-09-13 01:15:20
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 7,644
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9100024
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Rinniebee/pseuds/Rinniebee
Summary: Ricci, Hayden, and Vivi were tyrants on vacation. Vivi, just barely under a year old, hated the way her ears popped on the airplane and she cried the ride. Jess spent the whole air trip walking up and down the aisle, bouncing their baby in his arms as she screamed white hot, her chubby cheeks covered in tears. Rory smiled apologetically at everyone in her general vicinity and gave out personal apologies to those who were especially angered or frustrated.“She’s a baby, Rory,” Jess said, rolling his eyes after her nervous and rambly apology to a particularly huffy man. “You can’t control babies. They’re just going to have to deal with it."





	

**Author's Note:**

> The Christmas fics for this universe are all over and so I got this idea to write about Jess and Rory and their kids going on a New Years cruise and making it a yearly tradition amongst themselves! I thought it'd be cute, and it'd be a good way to showcase more dynamics between the family aside from the way they are at Christmas.

**DECEMBER 30** ** TH  ** **2020 - JANUARY 3** ** RD ** **2021**

The first year Rory tried to convince Jess that a New Years cruise would be fun she pretty much ate her words. In the end, it _had_ been fun for Jess, the kids, Luke and Lorelai, but it hadn’t been all that fun for her. Out of everyone, Rory believed she was the one most deserving of a vacation. She was a mother to three kids now, and while her husband was more involved than some of her friends life partners, it was still a pretty tough job to parent _three_ kids _and_ be a career woman at the same time.

Luke and Lorelai were sympathetic, but they’d never been able to really understand, and while Jess understood more than anyone else, he didn’t have that inner yearning for a warm place and a couples massage quite like she did. For Jess, a vacation was sitting at home watching the most graphic Netflix original he could find while their three kids did something far, far away from him.

Her husband hated sand in a way that could rival Anakin Skywalker or the entire Star Wars fandom after seeing Rogue One, but she’d convinced him (after months of needling), and they paid their deposit a year in advance and packed their bags for Miami right after Christmas.

Ricci, Hayden, and Vivi were tyrants on vacation. Vivi, just barely under a year old, hated the way her ears popped on the airplane and she cried the ride. Jess spent the whole air trip walking up and down the aisle, bouncing their baby in his arms as she screamed white hot, her chubby cheeks covered in tears. Rory smiled apologetically at everyone in her general vicinity and gave out personal apologies to those who were especially angered or frustrated.

“She’s a baby, Rory,” Jess said, rolling his eyes after her nervous and rambly apology to a particularly huffy man. “You can’t control babies. They’re just going to have to deal with it."

She’d kissed him long and hard for that and her mother started to gag. “As if your screaming baby wasn’t enough, now you want me to pluck my eyeballs out as well as chop off my ears,” Lorelai joked and Rory stuck her tongue out at her.

“Jess is right,” Luke said gruffly. “Vivi’s a baby, she can’t tell us she doesn’t like this metal death trap any other way than to cry.”

“Well, luckily for you,” Lorelai said, leaning over into the aisle to whisper dramatically at Rory, “your husband looks mighty hot with that baby in his arms—you’ve got some nice eye candy going on. Death he be to all the men-lovers on this plane. Look out, Babe, someone just might try and steal your man.”

Rory huffed, unable to cross her arms over her chest due to keeping Hayden in her lap. “No one’s going to steal my man! He’s _mine_ , I’ll fight them if I have to.”

Lorelai appraised her for a moment. “You better trade in stress tapping for karate lessons, ‘cause you can’t hurt anyone with those weak arms.”

“What are you two talking about?” Jess asked as he made his way back to them, still bouncing a crying Vivi (though she seemed to be winding down now).

“Just how much of a Hot Dad you are,” Lorelai teased. “You’re really working those jeans. Danes men have such nice rear ends to look at.”

He rolled his eyes. “I’m not a piece of meat. Besides, I’m your son-in-law _and_ your husband’s nephew. This is like doubly inappropriate.”

Lorelai just shrugged. “When have I ever been appropriate?”

“ _Mom_ ,” Rory hissed, “ _stop hitting on my husband!_ ”

“Hitting on him?! Ugh! That’s gross. I’m _ADMIRING_ his good looks. His infuriating personality blinded me to how cute he was before. I have years worth to make up for now.”

Jess just sighed, muttering something about how creepy Lorelai could be and walked past them; Rory and Lorelai both leaned forward a bit to check him out as he did so. Rory turned to face her mother with a grin.

“Damn, his butt really _does_ look good in those jeans.”

Lorelai shrugged but grinned back all the same. “Hey, when you’re right, you’re right.”

“Ah, geez you two!” Luke huffed beside her, a scowl firmly in place. “Stop ogling him now, would ya? Thank god the kids are asleep, they shouldn’t have to witness this.”

“Hey,” Rory said, glaring at her stepfather playfully, “he’s my husband, I can ogle him all I want.”

When they finally made it to the hotel, Rory collapsed on the bed, more than ready for sleep but she’d starved the entire way, forgetting to feed herself as she focused primarily on her children. Jess kissed the top of her head and promised to order her room service, but she’d fallen asleep before it got there. Jess covered it and kept it in the fridge for her later.

The kids were _very_ excited about the new change in scenery; they were only staying at the hotel for one day, so they were determined to make the most out of everything. Ricci and Hayden ran up and down the halls and through the elevators screaming and yelling, and Vivi tried her best to keep up with them. Rory’s magical getaway had really just become one great big ball of stress that’d begun to form long before they’d even made it to the ship.

“I feel like my head is going to explode,” Rory whined, leaning against her husbands shoulder.

Jess placed a chaste kiss to her cheek. “I’ll get you some Advil and a bottle of water.”

The kids were even harder to keep track of the moment they made it on board—especially Ricci. Their nine-year-old was rambunctious and uncontrollable. She screamed about how much there was to do and see; she ran off without warning and wouldn’t resurface for hours. Finding her was practically impossible, which caused Rory to spiral out of control. She’d lost Ricci in stores before, but finding her in Target was easy compared to this. Their daughter made it back into their room with an armful of candy, an abundance of stories to tell, and confusion about her parents anger.

 _“Ricci, you cannot just run off like that!_ ” Rory scolded, heart pounding in her chest. She rarely ever yelled at the kids like this, finding a conversational approach more practical and effective, but she’d been on edge. _“Your father and I had no idea where you were!”_

Ricci’s big blue eyes welled up with tears and she’d burst into high pitched, leak-y hysterics. She’d screamed back at her mother, saying something about how she didn’t mean to run off and that Nana and Grandpa had been with her the entire time. That new information _had_ made Rory feel better, but that also hadn’t been the point and she told her daughter as such. Jess watched them quietly, his mouth pressed into a tight line and his eyes shining with a mixture of disapproval and agreement. He touched Rory’s shoulder and rubbed her back softly as a cue for her to back off once Ricci started to hyperventilate and hiccup. Their daughter locked herself in the bathroom and cried for at least a half hour before she let Jess in to talk to her.

They rung in the New Year in a very bittersweet fashion. Ricci stayed close to Jess and curled into his lap on a lounge chair up on the pool deck where they’d watched a family-friendly movie with hundreds of other people. The projector screen was then changed to a beautiful gold countdown clock, and Rory intertwined her fingers with Jess’ as she held a sleepy Hayden in her free arm.

The entire pool deck screamed as the clock hit zero, and Hayden jolted awake in her arms before settling back down. Jess kissed Ricci firmly on the cheek first and encouraged her to shake her noise maker, but her heart wasn’t in it. Rory felt her heart clench at her daughter’s atypical unhappiness and silently cursed herself for ruining her daughter’s New Year’s Eve.

Jess turned to face her, smile in place, though there was a bit of sadness in his eyes, as he leaned forward to give her a kiss. She smiled back at him, trying to ignore that self-deprecating voice in the back of her head telling her she was a bad mother.

“Happy New Year, Rory.”

“Happy New Year, Jess.”

Her mom bounced a fully awake and surprisingly calm Vivi on her lap next to her. “Happy New Year, Mommy, Daddy, Grandpa, Nana, and Ricci and Hayden, too!” She said in baby voice, making Vivi’s arms move in mock gesticulation.

Luke rolled his eyes and sat up a little higher in his chair. “Stop using my granddaughter as a puppet, Lorelai.”

“For shame!” Lorelai gasped, holding Vivi a little tighter. “She’s technically your grand _niece_. I have more pull! And Vivi loves her Nana, doesn’t she?” She asked, voice high in her usual baby-talk as she turned Vivi to face her, brushing her nose against the top of her head. “Ahh, baby smell!!”

Jess snorted, earning him a dirty look from both Rory and Lorelai, but he didn’t dare say anything.

The rest of their cruise was wonderful. Luke and Lorelai spent most of their time with the kids, refusing to do any of the more _old folksy_ things (mainly to satiate Lorelai’s “forever young” ego; Luke was more than fine with the old folksy things) when they could be taking the kids on water slides and exploring the ship. Lorelai was great at keeping track of both Hayden and Ricci, and Luke busied himself with taking care of Vivi, who was surprisingly low maintenance for the majority of their trip. But, even though Rory trusted her mother and step-father with her own life, she felt a bit antsy when the kids weren’t in her line of sight.

“They’re going to be fine, Rory,” Jess promised her on the second night of the cruise. “Just like they’ve been fine the entire time.”

“Ricci’s still mad at me.” Rory pouted, watching Jess through the mirror of their suite room. “She came up to me and said that Nana was going to take her to Harry Potter trivia and then she asked if that was okay.”

Jess sighed and made his way over to her, rubbing her shoulders firmly. “She’ll be fine, she just doesn’t like it when you get mad at her. It’s pretty rare after all.”

“I know, I feel awful.”

“She ran off without telling us where she was. We couldn’t get ahold of your mom _or_ Luke, so we had no way of knowing if she was with them. They were gone for at least two hours, any good parent would worry.”

Rory nodded, knowing it all made perfect sense, but she still didn’t feel any better. “I just want to go home.”

“Tonight’s the last night,” Jess reassured her. “And Ricci is out having fun with your mom and Luke and her brother and sister right now. She wouldn’t want you to be sad.”

“I know.”

Jess moved her hair over to one side and placed a wet, open mouth kiss to her neck. “We’re alone, on a boat that’s cruising the ocean… We even have a complimentary bottle of champagne that we haven’t touched…”

Rory hummed in quiet acquiescent, her eyes closed as Jess continued his ministrations.

“And need I remind you that it was _you_ who begged me to agree to all of this? I’m not saying your feelings aren’t valid and believe me, I understand the way you’re feeling right now, but this is our _last night,_ so let’s have some fun, huh?”

She closed her eyes as he peppered kisses along her neck and chest. “What kind of fun?”

“Oh, I think you know,” Jess said playfully, spinning her around in the chair to face him. He smirked at her just before he grabbed her by the waist and hoisted her onto his shoulder.

“Jess!” She squeaked, legs kicking the air. “Put me down!”

“As you wish.” He dropped her onto the bed quickly but gently before crawling over her, trapping her underneath him.

Rory shook her head with a smile. “You’re just full of surprises.”

“Having fun yet?” He asked huskily, placing a series of kisses along her jaw.

“Mm. I think I’m getting there,” she teased, her hands running down his dark, silky hair before roaming over his shoulders and back. “I might need you to ramp it up a little.”

By the time they got back to Philadelphia, Rory was more exhausted from her vacation than she’d ever been from her regular life. Her final night on the ship had exceeded expectations, but her mind stayed focused on the negative no matter how romantic Jess got. It wasn’t her intention to be so selfish and unappreciative, but forcing herself to be happy was practically impossible. Luckily, her husband didn’t hold it against her.

“We’re going to go on a cruise again sometime,” Jess promised her as they unpacked their suitcase and sorted through their clean and dirty clothes. “And you’re going to have a _much_ better time, I guarantee it.”

 

 **DECEMBER 28** ** TH  ** **2023 - JANUARY 1** ** ST ** **2024**

It wasn’t until Ricci was going on thirteen that Rory was ready to attempt another New Years cruise. The past three-slash-four years had led Rory and Jess to a new rhythm with their children. Vivi would be turning four by the end of January and Hayden was going on to celebrate his sixth birthday in March. With Ricci nearing her young adult phase, it was a bit easier to delegate certain tasks to her and take some of the pressure off.

Ricci loved being in charge, anyway. She had a tendency to take her big sister duties rather seriously, though Jess often joked she was practicing for running a dictatorship.

Christmas in Stars Hollow was probably the most relaxing it had ever been in the past five to six years. Rory loved her children desperately, but there was some regret about having Hayden and Vivi so close together. Technically they were about a year and three-quarters (ish) apart, though it was easier to round up to two years. For a while she and Jess had essentially been juggling taking care of two babies at the same time but now they were onto one preschooler, one gradeschooler, and a teenager. The different stages in the development of their three kids did prove to be a challenge sometimes, but for the most part things were getting easier—even if certain family members didn’t think so.

“Y’know,” Liz said to her once Jess was out of sight, “If you ever need help with the kids I’m here. TJ and I are really big in at the faires due to our popularity with children. We could even watch them while you guys are cruising down to Mexico!”

Rory found herself caught like a deer in headlights. There was no way her husband would _ever_ let their kids spend the night with Grandma Liz, and he had very good reasons for that, reasons that Rory completely agreed with. But, unlike her husband, Rory never exactly found it easy to be rude to the family of her significant others. Liz was no Mitchum, and she was certainly no Shira; her mother-in-law plastered on a warm smile and offered genuine help to their family without even a drop of self-awareness. She was almost completely aloof to the way she’d abused Jess growing up, and while her quirky and fun personality made her a good grandmother, she was not someone Rory trusted to watch her children for four days.

“Um, th-that’s okay, Liz, really,” she stuttered, forcing the words out. “The kids will actually be coming with us on the cruise again, they’re really excited. Besides, we’re actually heading out to Miami today, so it’s a little late to set up a babysitter…”

Liz appraised her then, her brown eyes laced with a certain judgment that Rory didn’t like. _Yes, Liz, we actually bring our children with us on vacation, we don’t just leave them home alone with no food and a ton of alcohol._

“Rory!” Jess called out to her from the doorway of his mother’s home. “You ready?”

“Yeah,” she nodded, looking away from Liz with slight awkward cough. She moved toward the doorway as Liz babbled on about them leaving so soon and how she never saw them enough. Rory smiled at her politely as she slipped her winter boots back on and took her coat quietly from her husband.

“Come back again soon, you hear?” Liz said, cupping Jess’ face in her hands like she always did. She leaned forward to rest their foreheads together and Jess’ arms stayed limp at his sides. “I want to hear all about that cruise! Make sure you call me when you get back.”

“Okay,” Jess said drily, and Rory knew he was never going to call. “We’d better get going before traffic hits.”

“I’m ready,” Rory said, smiling.

He wrapped an arm around her waist and held her tight just as Liz came at her to give her a hug; it was one armed and awkward thanks to her current positioning, but Rory didn’t mind at all.

“I hope to see you again soon, too, _pretty lady_.”

Rory laughed, more nervously than anything else; almost twelve years of marriage and Rory still had no idea how to handle this woman. “Yeah, I’m sure you will. Bye Liz, thanks for having us.”

“Of course! Tell those b _eaaau_ tiful grandkids of mine that I love them!”

Rory smiled, tightlipped. “Always.”

Thankfully they made it onto the road before traffic hit, arriving at Bradley International two hours before their flight was scheduled to take off. Their flight was beautifully calm, none of their kids cried, and Rory spent most of the ride looking out the window and talking quietly with Hayden and Vivi. Jess and Ricci sat in the seats across the aisle from them watching a movie together on Jess’ laptop. Luke and Lorelai sat somewhere up ahead of them, closer to the plane door.

It was hot in Miami when they landed, and Rory bragged about how she’d been right to tell them all to pack an outfit change in her carry on. They dropped off their bags at the hotel and ate dinner at a restaurant called Rosa on Ricci’s request (“my favourite youtuber eats there!”) and had unlimited guacamole and a delicious array of both alcoholic and non-alcoholic cocktails. They spent a day exploring Miami a little bit, trying out new restaurants and going window shopping before they boarded the cruise at five o’clock on December thirty-first.

Their stateroom was gorgeous. It was a full large family size with a panoramic ocean view. Hayden and Ricci had themselves pressed up against the curved glass window the moment they got in, their eyes wide in wonder.

“Are we gonna see dolphin’s, Mommy?” Hayden asked, looking up at her in excitement. “I read all about them! Sharks and whales, too!”

“We might see some whales and dolphins, yeah!” Rory said, kneeling to Hayden’s level to run her hand through his dark curls “But hopefully no sharks, they’re scary.”

“Scary sharks!” Vivi repeated with a toothy grin and happy, shiny eyes that didn’t match her words.

Jess chuckled and scooped her up. “Yeah, real scary!” He said, voice gravely low as he leaned in menacingly, though Vivi didn’t flinch. “When they see you surfing, they think you’re a fish and they lunge at you underwater and take a big _BITE_ ,” he chomped down on Vivi’s cheek softly and she giggled, wiggling in his arms.

“Stop, Daddy!” Vivi shrieked happily, her hands flapping.

“Okay, okay.” Jess placed a firm kiss where he’d playfully bit her before setting her back down.

“Ugh, Dad, can we buy a wifi package?” Ricci asked, already sprawled out on top of her top bunk bed. “I’m bored.”

“We literally just got on the ship, Ric.”

Ricci poked her head out overtop of the bunk bed bars and pouted. “But I’m going to miss all the cool updates and memes!”

“Tough.”

“ _Pleaaaaaase?_ ”

“No.”

Ricci huffed, flopping herself back down on the bed; Jess rolled his eyes as Ricci continued to mumble something under her breath that neither parent couldn’t catch, and Rory just shook her head with a small smile.

“That’s _your_ child,” she said to Jess as she stood up to gift him with a kiss, but he just grumbled in response.

By the time they’d started exploring the ship, Ricci forgot all about her quest for wifi. She stuck close to her grandmother, making funny faces and cracking jokes all throughout lunch and dinner. Lorelai and Ricci were like two peas in a pod, but then they’d always been. Once she was in a better mood, Ricci quickly attached herself back to Jess, laying her head on his shoulder and teasing him for taking pictures on his very old and beat up iphone 5.

The New Years Eve festivities on the Navigator of the Seas was incredible. They spent their time up on the pool deck as they had years before, but instead of a family friendly movie, the ship was alive with a rambunctious party. One of the many DJs spoke to the passengers as he played music, egging people on to dance, and calling out people by name. Vivi swayed along to the music happily, but stopped, her chubby cheeks rosy red, whenever she caught her parents looking at her.

“Aw, it’s okay Vivi! Dance with Mommy and Nana!” Rory encouraged, taking her tiny hands in her own as the three of them moved to the music. Vivi stumbled over her own feet as the boat moved but she giggled in delight.

Jess and Luke sat on one of the lounge chairs, as usual, watching them with silent laughter. Hayden was curled up in his father’s lap with a book (though he seemed to be fast asleep), and Ricci was off getting herself a virgin cocktail at the bar. Their eldest returned in triumph with a mango-pineapple concoction and a self-satisfied grin.

When the clock hit midnight the entire deck exploded in shouts of celebrations and Rory hoisted her youngest daughter up, wishing her a happy new year with a kiss. Ricci hugged her father and planted a messy kiss on his cheek, which he returned with one on her forehead. Jess kissed the crown of his sleeping sons head and ran his fingers through his curls before pulling him in a little tighter to protect him from the loud sounds of the party.

Ricci rubbed Hayden’s head before hopping up from her seat to hug and kiss Luke just after he’d finished patting her father firmly on the back. When they finished, she met her mother, sister and Nana half way and grinned.

“HAPPY NEW YEAR!” They all shouted together before erupting into a fit of giggles, kisses and hugs.

Ricci watched as her mother crawled onto her father, careful not to wake Hayden, and kissed them both before laying her head on Jess’ shoulder. Vivi joined them once Luke and Lorelai let her go, and Ricci made her way back to them, standing behind her father’s chair as she wrapped her arms around both parents and laid her chin atop her mother’s head with closed eyes.

“Say cheese!” Lorelai said and Ricci opened her eyes just in time to give the camera a smile before the flash burst forth.

 

 **DECEMBER 29** ** TH  ** **2038 - JANUARY 1 **ST**** **2039**

“Vivi’s meeting us in Toronto?” Ricci asked, handing over her suitcase to her father. “Why didn’t she just stay home after Christmas and fly out with us?”

Jess shrugged. “Said something about an art project she left unattended. She seemed worried about it.”

“Oh,” Ricci nodded, remembering something Vivi had said on Christmas. “Yeah, I think she said something about working with plants for her sculpture class? Or working with fruit or something? I don’t know, I think she’s growing them herself, or that’s what it sounded like. That girl is weird. I just tune her out most of the time. But, I do think she said her roommate went home last minute so there was no one to water it so she had to go back early. Weird, weird, weird.”

“She’s _eccentric_ ,” Jess argued, grinning in quiet pride of his youngest. He missed having Vivi at home, but he loved when she texted him photos of her works-in-progress and finished pieces hanging up in her school’s art gallery. He and Rory planned on surprising her one day by taking a trip out there to see it all in person, but he kept that to himself knowing his eldest would probably let it slip to Vivi accidentally.

“Hey, you guys ready to go?” Rory asked, stepping out onto the porch with her carry-on bag and Hayden trailing behind her.

“Ugh, yes,” Ricci said, stretching her arms above her head. “I can’t wait til we’re in Hawaii! I checked the weather for Vancouver. Rain, rain, rain, rain. Gross. Though, I guess it’s still better than the icy tundra that is Philly and Toronto.”

“We picked a pretty good time for Hawaii, too,” said Rory, hopping onto the positivity train. “Less rain than in December, low to mid 80s in the daytime and sweater weather at night. It won’t be sweltering.”

“Yeah, plus the boat is bound to be warm.”

“Exactly,” Rory agreed, wrapping an arm around Ricci’s shoulder as they walked out to the car in the cold. Hayden bypassed them to help Jess load up the car just as the girls settled into the warm vehicle.

They reached the airport in record time and landed in Toronto right on schedule in order make their connecting flight and meet up with Vivi. She’d long passed security and was sitting in the waiting area with a tray of Tim Hortons drinks and a couple of bagels.

“Vi!” Jess called out to her and she looked up from her phone, her long ponytail swishing as she stood up to greet them.

She wrapped her dad up in a tight hug before moving onto her mother and two siblings. “Hey guys!”

“Are these for us?” Hayden asked, pointing down to food on the table.

“Yeah, I saved your notes of what everyone likes at Timmies when you guys helped me moved into dorms.”

“See, my lists _are_ helpful,” Hayden sniffed, picking up his medium french vanilla coffee and taking a hearty sip. “God, this shit is good,” he praised.

Vivi grinned. “Coffee addict.”

“We’re Gilmores,” Ricci said, grabbing her double-triple, “we’re _all_ coffee addicts. Except for you, Vi. You’re a Mariano-Danes through and through.”

Vivi rolled her eyes. “You say that like it’s an insult.” She turned to look at her father then with a simple smile. “I _like_ being a Mariano-Danes.”

“You guys do know you’re _all_ Gilmore _and_ Mariano-Danes, right?” Rory asked, plucking her plain black coffee and Jess’ black tea out of the tray.

“Not _meeee_ ,” Ricci sang. “Technically, I’m a Gilmore-Huntzberger. Even more dysfunction to add to the gene pool.”

“Don’t insult your father when he’s not here to hear it,” Jess said, smirking.

Rory smacked his shoulder, blue eyes blazing in a way that told him to behave.

“Sorry,” he offered without actually meaning it, and Ricci grinned at him but she chose not to say any more.

“It’s sad that Nana and Grandpa couldn’t come this year,” Vivi said, sitting back down in her seat and crossing her legs at the ankles. “Grandpa’s still sick, huh?”

“Unfortunately,” Jess said, sitting next to her. “He’s getting better though, but his doctor advised him against traveling.”

“It was nice of them to give their tickets to Aunt Lane and Uncle Zach though. Are they meeting us in Vancouver?”

“Yeah, they fly out early tomorrow morning,” Rory said just before taking her first sip of coffee. “Wow, this _is_ good! I almost forgot!”

Vivi smiled before she said, “Yeah and it’s cheap too! Two bucks for a medium coffee.”

“Can’t beat that,” Jess agreed.

The plane ride to Vancouver was short and sweet. They checked into the hotel and chose room service over exploring the dreary, wet city in hopes of finding a restaurant that they could all agree on. The kids had their own room, which gave Jess and Rory some alone time—though Ricci constantly burst in through the connecting door while they were in mid-make out.

“Don’t have sex here! That’s gross.”

Jess threw a pillow at her and told her to get out, luckily none of their kids bothered them for the rest of the night.

The next morning they met up with Lane and Zach in the lobby of the hotel and explored Vancouver while it was mild and dry. Vivi rambled on about how one of her friends from school was from Vancouver. They explored Stanley Park and a few art galleries that Vivi dragged them all into before settling down at a Tim Hortons by the hotel for lunch until it was time to head off to the boat.

“Wow, that’s the ship?” Lane asked, her arm hooked through Rory’s; they were happily ignoring their husbands for one another. “You never told me it was so amazing!”

“Well, it’s a different boat every time, but this one is the Radiance of the Seas. It has _everything_ you could imagine.”

“Wow! No wonder you guys do this every year. I’m really sorry about Luke, but damn am I happy I get to experience this!”

“Too bad the boys couldn’t be here,” Zach said. “This is _incrediiiiible!_ ”

“We’ll send them lot of pictures,” Lane promised.

By the time they got on the boat, Rory and the kids were hungry again and Jess mumbled something about Gilmores. Lane smacked him on Rory’s behalf. They ate a quick snack at Park Cafe, though Rory, Ricci, and Lane all loaded up with plates with so much food it looked like they were prepared to never eat again.

“Whoa, dude,” Zach said with a laugh. “That is _a lot_ of food. I don’t even think the twins could eat that much—and they eat us out of house and home.”

“You sure you’re not a Gilmore?” Jess teased Lane, nudging her with his knee. “‘Cause that plate? That is _all_ Gilmore.”

“There was just so much choice,” Lane said, still looking mesmerized by the amount of food on her plate. “I had to pick up everything!”

Rory bobbed her head in agreement. “It’s incredible, isn’t it? Besides, Jess, Lane is my _best friend,_ do you think my mother would’ve allowed me to be friends with her if she couldn’t hack it?”

Jess shrugged, head swaying in concession.

“It’s true, besides Lorelai practically raised me. My mom was so strict, I wasn’t allowed to have anything. Binge eating and keeping it all down _and_ off my breath was a skill I mastered at a very young age.”

“Mom says you had to hide stuff under your floorboards,” Vivi said. “Mrs. Kim was that strict?”

“Oh,” Lane laughed, holding up her hand, “Mrs. Kim was the _most_ strict. You guys have it _so_ good with your cool Mom and Dad.”

“It’s a miracle Mrs. Kim even let us get married…” Zach said. “I still expect to find out I’m actually dead and none of this is real. How trippy, right?”

“God, what a fiasco that wedding was. Mama had a secret life from Grandma, and I had a secret life from Mama…”

Jess snorted. “Did any of us have normal parents?”

“No,” Lane and Rory said at once.

“Hey, didn’t Nana kind of ruin your wedding with her drunken toast?” Ricci asked, wiggling her eyebrows.

Rory squinted at her daughter, her lips pursed into a frown. “How do you know about that?”

“Nana told us.”

Jess snorted. “Of course she did.”

_“When?!”_

“I think I was ten?” Hayden piped up, and Vivi nodded along with him.

“Yeah, I was eight.”

“Seventeen for me,” Ricci added, and Rory huffed.

“I’m so going to _kill_ her.”

Jess snaked his arm around her back, rubbing softly. “Are you really shocked that your mom would tell story’s about her drunk past?”

“No, but that is _so_ inappropriate to tell your grandchildren! Grandma would be appalled.”

He and Lane both shrugged. “Even more reason for her to do it,” they said at the same time and Lane gave him a little smile and Jess smirked back.

“If it helps she was drunk,” Hayden offered and Rory practically snapped her neck when she turned to look at him.

“She was drunk?!”

“It was the night before her and Grandpa’s vow renewal!”

“Her bachelorette party.” Jess nodded as if everything was starting to make more sense now. “She was pretty wild that night. You both were,” he said suggestively. “You in other ways, of course.”

“Ew, Dad!” Ricci said, covering her ears with both hands. “I am really happy you and Mom are in love and have been married for like twenty-one years now, but _none_ of your kids want to hear about your sex life. My eyes are still burned from yesterday.”

Lane looked between Rory and Jess with curious eyes. “What happened yesterday?”

“They were having sex!” Ricci said, letting her hands fall back into her lap.

“Oh, we were not,” Rory denied, trying to will away the flush rising to her cheeks. She turned to Lane with her typical doe eyes and a pout that begged for understanding. “Ricci walked in on a heated make out session. We were _not_ having sex.”

“You know I’m your husband, and having sex with me is normal _,_ right? You don’t have to defend the action. It is how we made these two.” Jess jerked his head toward Vivi and Hayden and they both wrinkled up their nose at him.

“It’s true,” Zach nodded. “Sex is good for any relationship. No sex? It’s like what’re you even doing, dude? What’s the point?! There’s no pizzazz! I mean, the cuddling and snuggling is great too, and the movie watching, and raising the kids but when your kids get older, if you’re not going to pound town th—”

“ _No! Absolutely not! I refuse to hear anymore of this,_ ” Ricci cut him off, shaking her head vehemently as she glared at her uncle. “You guys are _all_ old, and old people should not be fucking!”

“How crude,” Vivi muttered with a laugh, sipping her water as Hayden chuckled quietly next to her.

“What if you get a heart attack and _die?!_ ”

“Whoa!” Jess said, feeling indignant and insulted. “I can run a six-minute mile, Ric! I eat well. I am not about to have a heart attack during sex of all things, thank you very much.”

“It’s true,” Rory said, sitting up a little taller. “His stamina is great.”

“ _Mom!_ ” All three kids cried this time, their eyes filled with embarrassment and shock.

“What?!” Rory said, looking down at her napkin. “I just meant I’ve seen him work out before… I wasn’t talking about…” She bristled and sighed in defeat, cheeks rosy red as she fanned herself with a napkin. “Oh, never mind.”

Lane nudged her under the table with a sly look. “I want to hear all about this _stamina_ later.”

Ricci groaned. “Old people are so disgusting.”

By the time they’d finished at Park Cafe, explored the ship a little bit, and ate dinner int he main dining hall, it was time for the New Years Eve festivities. Ricci, Hayden, and Vivi went off to do their own thing, which Rory believed was taking place at the on-board casino. Jess rubbed the tension out of her shoulders as they got ready to go to their own party at the Viking Crown Lounge up on the thirteenth deck. The kids promised to come find them eventually to ring in the New Year with them, but Rory was a bit skeptical.

“They’re going to get drunk and die,” Rory said, frowning as she fastened the backs of her pearl earring.

Jess kissed her shoulder. “They won’t. Vivi’s only eighteen, she can’t even drink.”

“Ricci will give her alcohol.”

“Probably, yeah.”

“See!”

“That doesn’t mean she’s going to get drunk and die.” Jess rubbed down her shoulders and placed another kiss to the back of her head. “She might get a little tipsy, but are we pretending like Vivi’s never gotten drunk before?”

“No, but I don’t like it,” Rory pouted. “I didn’t get drunk until I was eighteen and on spring break. Oh god, what if Vivi goes on spring break and dies?!”

“She’s not going to go on spring break and die. If anything she might be like you, kiss a girl and when watch Power of the Myth with her,” Jess grinned. “Maybe call an ex and embarrass herself thoroughly, but she won’t get drunk and die.”

“I told you never to bring those things up!”

“Sorry,” he breathed into her ear and spun gently her to face him. “Have I told you that you look beautiful tonight?”

“You just don’t want me to be mad at you,” Rory chided, wrapping her arms around his waist.

He bit her ear, causing her to squeak, and then lapped at the offense. “Is it working?”

“Maybe,” she whispered, leaning up to kiss him. “C’mon,” she broke away from him and dragged him out into the hall, “it’s time to party!”

Surprisingly the Viking Crown Lounge wound up being Jess’ kind of scene. There was dancing (not that he was fond of the action, but Rory, Lane, and Zach were), a classy-looking bar where he was able to get a scotch neat, and various booths and tables that allowed for quite conversation and people watching. The latter was exactly what Jess was about. He hadn’t brought a book, hadn’t thought to as he was no longer an anti-social recluse. He still considered himself an introvert, holding a conversation and socializing was downright exhausting and he didn’t think that’d ever change, but he was good at pretending and sometimes strangers offered him some real amusement.

Like Cheryl, for example. She’d come up to his booth and introduced herself with an impressive sort of confidence that he admired. He knew she was hitting on him, but he and Rory had long moved past unhealthy jealousy in their marriage. He caught her eye on the dance floor and she smiled at him, blue eyes sparkling in amusement as Cheryl scooted in a little closer and Jess scooted back a little further.

“Who are you planning on kissing at midnight tonight, Jess?” Cheryl asked, her green eyes dark with desire. It took everything in him not to laugh.

“He plans on kissing his _wife,_ ” Ricci said, standing behind Cheryl with her arms crossed tightly over her chest. Jess smirked into his drink as his daughter sat down beside him and looped her arm through his.

“Oh!” Cheryl said, looking between the two of them. “I didn’t know.”

“Did you miss the ring on his finger?” Ricci asked, her voice sickeningly sweet.

Jess held up his left hand and showed off his white gold band with a small smile. “Sorry, Cheryl.”

The strange woman in his booth inspected him. “Isn’t she a bit _young_ for you?” She sneered. “No offense.”

“Ew!” Ricci said, moving away from her father in disgust. “This is my _dad_ , _Cheryl_.”

Cheryl blinked at them in shock before she stuttered out a very embarrassing apology, her pale cheeks a bright red as she scooted out of the booth, muttering something about how her friends were waiting for her over on the other side of the bar.

“Yes,” Ricci agreed with a cold smile, her eyes narrowed down into slits. “Goodbye, Cheryl. It was a _pleasure_ meeting you.”

When she was gone, Jess broke out in loud, boisterous laughter, his hand clapped over his mouth as his shoulders shook. Ricci hit him with one of the fancy napkins, her glare now turned on him.

“What were you thinking letting her hit on you like that?!”

“It was funny?”

She hit him again. “So not funny! Poor Mom!”

“Your mom knew!”

“And she didn’t say anything?!”

“It’s a game we play.”

Ricci leaned back to get a better look at him. “A game?”

“Yeah,” Jess shrugged. “A game.”

“You guys are in a very weird, sick, and twisted marriage.”

He just shrugged again. “Sorry.” Jess looked around then, seeing no sign of his other two kids. “Hey, where’s your brother and sister?”

“Vivi couldn’t come in here, she’s too young, so Hayden and I agreed to hang out with her in the Karaoke bar. I was just coming here to let you know that’s where we’ll be if you want to meet up before the clock strikes twelve.”

“Sounds good.”

“Okay, good.” She stood up, and gave him a final glare. “Don’t let anymore desperate women hit on you. I’ll fight them myself.”

“Huh.”

“Don’t huh, me, sir! Promise me!”

“Okay,” Jess said, putting his hands up in defeat. “I promise.”

“Good. I’ll see you before you midnight?”

“You’ll see me before midnight.”

The adults made their way down to the karaoke bar once Lane and Rory had their fill of dancing. Zach had given up just a little while after Ricci left, choosing to chill out in the booth with Jess and sip quietly on a corona. When they got down to the bar, a couple of old ladies were singing together in a very dramatic way that reminded Rory and Lane of Babette and Miss Patty. They got a little teary as they watched, and in desperation to cheer them up, Ricci tried to convince Vivi to sing a song with her.

“No!” Vivi refused, shaking her head so hard that it messed up her curls a little bit. They stuck to her lips and she pulled the strands away as she tried to fight her sister off. “Let gooo of me! I don’t want to sing! Daddy, help me!”

Jess threw Ricci a pointed look, eyebrows raised. “Ric, come on. She doesn’t want to.”

“Ugh!” Ricci said, letting her sister go. “Why can’t Nana be here?! She’d do it with me. … Hayden?”

“Nope.”

“Fuck you guys!”

“I’ll sing with you, Ricci,” Zach said, getting up out of his chair.

Ricci beamed at him as she bounced on the balls of her heels. “Really?!”

“Anything for my _favourite_ niece.”

“Hey!” Vivi said, pouting, arms crossed over her chest.

“Sorry,” Zach said with a shrug. “But Ricci’s got the rock n roll spirit.”

“Yeah!” Ricci said, grinning like the most cunning of wolves. “I’ve got the rock n’ roll spirit! Suck on that, suckas!”

Vivi rolled her eyes. “I hate her,” she mumbled to Jess and he chuckled, placing a kiss to the side of her head.

“I know, I know,” he mumbled.

“How, exactly, is she twenty-eight?” Hayden asked Rory quietly, but his mother just shrugged back at him unable to come up with an answer.

Ricci and Zach sung along to some old-school rock songs that Hayden and Vivi did not know but their Mom, Dad, and Lane snapped their fingers, tapped their feet, and sang along to. When they were finished, they were sweaty from the disgusting amount of air guitars and overdramatic ad-libbing they’d done to please the crowd. Vivi handed her sister a napkin and a genuine compliment on her performance and in return received an alcoholic piña colada just as the countdown to midnight began.

“Five, four,” Vivi counted along with her family and the rest of the bar, wrapping an arm around Ricci as her free hand clutched her cocktail. “Three, two, one! HAPPY NEW YEAR!”

Everyone at their table leaned forward to clink glasses in a big circle, breaking off to toast to those they couldn’t reach and give hugs and kisses.

Lane and Rory hugged each other before their husbands, forever misty-eyed and happily drunk as they sloppily declared their love to one another. Jess and Zach clasped hands, tight and brotherly before clinking their pints of beer and Hayden joined in, clinking his pint with theirs and throwing his arm around his dad’s shoulder and wishing his dad and uncle a Happy New Year before breaking off to join his sisters. He lifted Vivi up off the ground, joking about how small she was, and he wrapped Ricci up in his arms squeezing her tight.

“You forgot about me.” Jess mock-pouted at his wife when she finally made her way over to him.

Rory smiled, running the back of her hand down his cheek. “I could never. I saved the best for last.”

“Oh, smooth.”

“Mhm,” Rory hummed, claiming his lips for her own and licking at the seam until he opened his mouth for her. Their kiss was long and deep, and though Rory couldn’t be sure, there was a part of her that thought the people in the bar might’ve been cheering them on a bit. When she broke away, Jess’ eyes were slightly hooded, his pupils blown out in arousal.

“Okay, okay!” Lane said, waving her tiny hands in their faces. “Break it up! Don’t make me feel ashamed of my relationship in public, now!”

“See!” Ricci said, nose wrinkled. “They’re disgusting!”

“Disgustingly sweet,” Lane agreed with a smile.

“No,” Hayden said, taking a large gulp of beer. “Just fucking disgusting.”

Jess laughed under his breath but he kept purchase on Rory’s waist. “Happy fucking New Year.”


End file.
